Ronaldo, Messi on fire for top clubs

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have lit up La Liga with a slew of goals this season and the title race is already shaping up as a duel between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Portuguese winger, who cost Real a world record €94
million in the close season, and the zippy Argentina forward, who joined Barca's youth program at the age of 13, both have five goals already this term.

Barca and Real lead the standings on 12 points with four
matches played, three ahead of Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao,
with Real hosting promoted Tenerife and Barca at Malaga on
Saturday.

"I am feeling confident," Messi, who signed an improved
deal last week that will reportedly earn him €10.5 million net a season, told a news conference on Wednesday."I have the good fortune to play alongside colleagues who
are very good at football and that gives me peace of mind."

Ronaldo pipped Messi to the 2008 World Player of the Year
award but Messi is widely tipped to win the 2009 crown thanks
to his performances in last season's historic treble.

Ironically the the pair have been unable to prevent
Portugal and Argentina from struggling in qualification for the
2010 World Cup and there is a real possibility both will miss
out.

"I would like to perform well for Argentina the way I
perform well here at Barca," Messi said.

Barca's big signing of the summer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has
also had an impact following his move from Inter Milan, making
the best ever start by a new signing for the Catalan club.

The Sweden striker has netted once in each of Barca's four
matches but suffered a minor ankle sprain in Tuesday's 4-1 win
at Racing Santander and is a doubt for the Malaga clash.

At the other end of the table, poor starts for Atletico
Madrid and Villarreal have prompted speculation in the Spanish
media about the futures of Atletico coach Abel Resino and his
Villarreal counterpart Ernesto Valverde.

Both have just two points from their four matches and
Resino has been given a particularly hard time by the Atletico
fans, who are also upset with the way president Enrique Cerezo
and chief executive Miguel Angel Gil are running the club.

"It would be wrong to make anyone a sacrificial lamb,"
Almeria coach Hugo Sanchez said on Wednesday after his side
snatched a late equaliser to draw 2-2 at Atletico.

"Everyone must share the responsibility for what is
happening at a club," added the Mexican, a former striker for
Real Madrid and Atletico.

Atletico face a difficult trip to Valencia on Saturday
while Villarreal play at Deportivo Coruna on Sunday.

Sevilla and Athletic play each other in Bilbao on Saturday
while promoted Xerez seek their first point in the top flight
on Sunday at Espanyol.